1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to a storage for a computer, for example, and more particularly to the relocation of data stored in the storage.
2. Related Arts
Many existing large computers are equipped with a translation table called FAR (Floating Address Register) for translating an absolute address into a physical address and are able to allocate every predetermined split unit of an absolute address space to an arbitrary physical memory element. This feature is useful, for example, for maintenance of memory units. In general, the FAR can be modified only while a system is not operating.
Heretofore, when intending to modify a FAR while the system is operating, the following procedures would be necessary for preventing any misoperation. Firstly, access to a storage is temporarily stopped. Then physical addresses are modified and storage data is transferred from old physical addresses to new physical addresses, whereupon access to the storage is restarted.
Such prior technology is exemplified by Japanese Patent Publication No. 21222/1988. The operational principles of a store-in cache described above are conventional and is described in, for example, Japanese Patent Laid-Open Publication No. 290550/1986.
With the foregoing prior art, during moving of the stored data with modification of the physical addresses, it is necessary to stop access to the storage. During that time, therefore, the operation of an apparatus utilizing the storage would be stopped.
A problem with some kinds of apparatuses is that the response speed of the storage would be lowered due to this stopping.